Based on charges filed by hospital commanders, criminal procedures have been instituted in three hospitals due to the disappearance of protective supplies, a staff member of the duty centre of the Operational Group responsible for the containment of the coronavirus epidemic said at an online press conference held on Thursday.

Róbert Kiss said, during the stocktaking and warehousing of protective supplies, hospital commanders repeatedly observed irregularities. Based on their feedback, criminal procedures have been instituted in three hospitals due to crimes against property. Disinfectants in one-litre bottles, face masks, hand sanitisers, examination gloves, wipes and IT devices have disappeared from the institutions concerned.

The Lt. Colonel said on Friday the logistics company Waberer’s will deliver individual protective supplies to 17 hospitals in the capital and to another 47 in the provinces. He observed that hospitals must have stocks of individual protective supplies enough for a week.

He also reported that an Iranian national deported from Hungary – who had previously been treated with coronavirus infection and had escaped from the authorities – had been apprehended and detained. He was tracked down by the Counter Terrorism Centre and apprehended by the Rapid Reaction Police. Ten other Iranian nationals are required to leave the country on Thursday, “subject to accompanied deportation”. He recalled that the National Directorate General for Aliens Policing expelled the eleven Iranian nationals treated in the South Pest Central Hospital with coronavirus infection because in the hospital in March they manifested anti-social, violent conduct, and also violated the rules related to disease control isolation.

Regarding criminal procedures related to the epidemic, he said 226 procedures have been instituted, including 59 due to scaremongering, 26 due to the threat of public danger, 62 due to fraud, and 13 due to the violation of disease control regulations. The police have interrogated 46 suspects. In connection with the restrictions on movement, the police have taken action in 19,837 instances, including 11,166 cautions, 4,465 onsite fines and 4,206 prosecutions. In the past 24 hours in Budapest, the police have taken action in 441 instances, cautioning 286 persons, imposing 76 onsite fines and prosecuting 79 persons.

On Wednesday, the rules of the restrictions on movement were violated in mass in Szombathely where a green waste disposal site was on fire, covering an area of three hectares, he indicated. The police sealed the road leading to the site; however, families arrived at a nearby shopping centre in around three hundred cars to observe the firefighters in action. The police evacuated the parking lot, and in leaving the site, the cars also paralysed traffic in neighbouring streets. The police asked everyone to observe the rules relating to the restrictions on movement, he said.

Mr Kiss also mentioned that the number of compulsory home quarantine orders in effect has decreased; there are now only 12,737 in force as most individuals have already completed the period of 14 days. The police have checked compliance with the rules of compulsory home quarantine 216,996 times.

In answer to a question, he said the coronavirus has indeed appeared in a metropolitan homeless shelter as well; the ambulance service was informed on Wednesday. Based on contact searches, three persons have been identified, and two of them have also been found. “The necessary hospitalisation measures have begun in relation to these persons.” They also contacted the metropolitan government commissioner who took action for the disinfection of the institution. They know from the head of the institution that on Tuesday evening a small crowd gathered in front of the shelter, and people were therefore admitted in groups. The Operational Group asked the head of the institution to ask for police assistance should the need arise again for mass admissions, Mr Kiss said.

Regarding border traffic, he said there are minor delays in incoming cargo traffic at Hegyeshalom.

(Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister/MTI)